Esther McVey Slammed For Sharing 'Debunked' Brexit Article

Ex-minister asked if she is "really so ignorant of the facts, or... knowingly misleading the public with nonsense?"
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Brexiteer Esther McVey has come under fire after sharing a debunked article suggesting all EU member states will be forced to adopt the Euro by 2020.

“Are the public aware of this?” the former DWP secretary tweeted on Sunday. “And the many other things the EU has planned for its member states after 2020? #trust #WatchOut”

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McVey, who resigned from government in November over Theresa May’s Brexit deal, has been accused of using the speculative op-ed – which was published almost five years ago – to whip up feeling for a hard Brexit ahead of a week of crucial votes in parliament.

On Tuesday, MPs are expected to be faced with a second meaningful vote on the prime minister’s plan to leave the EU. It comes less than two months after the first vote on May’s deal, which saw the PM handed an historic defeat.

If the Commons once again fails to get behind May’s deal, a no-deal Brexit could be taken off the table in a matter of days, while MPs could vote to delay the UK’s exit from the EU.

McVey’s tweet – which was deleted on Monday morning – sparked more than 3,000 replies, with many accusing the former Cabinet minister of “lying to fit her ideology”.

.@EstherMcVey1 - this is simply (and demonstrably) NOT TRUE.
You are an elected member of Parliament with responsibilities. Are you really so ignorant of the facts or are you knowingly misleading the public with nonsense? Genuine question. https://t.co/dShZtFFiG8

— Mark Stone (@Stone_SkyNews) March 10, 2019

The public is now aware that this former cabinet minister is spreading things about the EU that are untrue. https://t.co/Fg6qy0FUj1

— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) March 10, 2019

Also ... Esther McVey's tweet had over a thousand likes ... meaning that they believed the lies ... only a full public retraction and apology will remedy this.

— John Spiers #GTTO (@squeezyjohn) March 11, 2019

But the Tatton MP has yet to apologise for sharing the article, writing in a second tweet: “From reading the comments, even if you don’t agree with the article I posted, I think we can all agree on one thing – we never want the UK to join the Euro. True or false? #true”

From reading the comments, even if you don’t agree with the article I posted, I think we can all agree on one thing - we never want the UK to join the Euro
True or false ? #true https://t.co/GGsGlQJfZn

— Esther McVey (@EstherMcVey1) March 10, 2019
Former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey
Former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey
Simon Dawson / Reuters
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